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Economic Citizenship: Neoliberal Paradoxes of Empowerment

Economic Citizenship: Neoliberal Paradoxes of Empowerment REVIEW Amalia Saʾar Oxford: Berghahn, 2016 262 pages. ISBN 9781785331794 Reviewed by SARA SALEM Economic Citizenship: Neoliberal Paradoxes of Empowerment focusesona particular arena of neoliberal cultural production: the social economy. The social economy can be understood as a wide range of organizations that come together for a stated mutual or cooperative good. For Amalia Saʾar, the Israeli social economy brings together business tycoons, social-service professionals, state functionaries, grassroots activists, and women from disempowered backgrounds. A central paradox the book addresses is between economic-empowerment projects and their discourse of individual self-sufficiency, on the one hand, and the more radical commitment to social change purported by many of the targeted women, on the other. This paradox can be found in much of the literature on women’s empowerment programs, as well as literature on gender and development more broadly. Although these programs claim to alleviate poverty, empower women, and con- tribute to economic growth, empirical research shows that alongside potential benefits, these programs tend to entrench neoliberal subjectivities and reinforce rather than alle- viate economic and political inequality. Saʾar’s overarching argument is that because these programs have positive effects on women,we must accept their contradictory effects rather than dismiss them for further http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Middle East Women's Studies Duke University Press

Economic Citizenship: Neoliberal Paradoxes of Empowerment

Salem, Sara
Journal of Middle East Women's Studies , Volume 16 (1) – Mar 1, 2020
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Copyright
Copyright © 2020 by the Association for Middle East Women’s Studies
ISSN
1552-5864
eISSN
1558-9579
DOI
10.1215/15525864-8016519
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

REVIEW Amalia Saʾar Oxford: Berghahn, 2016 262 pages. ISBN 9781785331794 Reviewed by SARA SALEM Economic Citizenship: Neoliberal Paradoxes of Empowerment focusesona particular arena of neoliberal cultural production: the social economy. The social economy can be understood as a wide range of organizations that come together for a stated mutual or cooperative good. For Amalia Saʾar, the Israeli social economy brings together business tycoons, social-service professionals, state functionaries, grassroots activists, and women from disempowered backgrounds. A central paradox the book addresses is between economic-empowerment projects and their discourse of individual self-sufficiency, on the one hand, and the more radical commitment to social change purported by many of the targeted women, on the other. This paradox can be found in much of the literature on women’s empowerment programs, as well as literature on gender and development more broadly. Although these programs claim to alleviate poverty, empower women, and con- tribute to economic growth, empirical research shows that alongside potential benefits, these programs tend to entrench neoliberal subjectivities and reinforce rather than alle- viate economic and political inequality. Saʾar’s overarching argument is that because these programs have positive effects on women,we must accept their contradictory effects rather than dismiss them for further

Journal

Journal of Middle East Women's Studies – Duke University Press

Published: Mar 1, 2020

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